Lawless Calls on Langevin for Four Debates

“It’s time for James Langevin to answer for his voting record in Congress,” said Lawless.

WARWICK, RI – Jennifer Lawless, a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives from Rhode Island’s 2nd Congressional District, announced today that she has called on her primary opponent, James Langevin, for a series of four debates.

“With less than two months remaining until the primary, I believe it is imperative for Rhode Islanders from the Second District to see their Democratic candidates for U.S. Congress together, discussing the important issues that families face each day,” said Lawless in a letter to Langevin.

On July 19, Lawless sent a letter to Langevin formally requesting that he engage in a series of four debates over the remaining weeks of the primary campaign, one on each of four sets of issues. More than two weeks have elapsed since this letter was delivered, and Langevin has offered no response. The issues Lawless proposes are terrorism and civil liberties, women and families, jobs and education, and the war in Iraq.

In the letter to Langevin, Lawless added, “I particularly look forward to discussing your votes for President Bush’s most intrusive version of the Patriot Act, your votes against rolling back President Bush’s tax cuts, your 27 votes in favor of restricting a woman’s right to choose, as well as your willingness to interfere in the private business of the Schiavo family, your refusal to demand accountability from President Bush for his lack of a plan for Iraq, and your insistence on voting with Tom DeLay nearly 60 percent of the time.”

Lawless and Langevin have already agreed to one debate sponsored by the League of Women Voters and scheduled for the evening of August 30th.

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